Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County

06/17/2026

Combined efforts to rescue ducklings told by Native Animal Rescue’s dispatcher, Darlene:
“Yesterday evening on my dispatch shift, at around 6:44 p.m., I received a call about a momma duck on the side of a road exit in pure panic, and ducklings could be heard in a storm drain close by. Her babies had fallen into the storm drain. It was at the northbound Airport Blvd. exit coming into Watsonville.
Upon arrival, once I safely confirmed what was described, I hurried and called non-emergency. Within 10-15 min the arrived. Yay!
The firemen did an amazing job! The ducklings were hand-caught one by one and handed to me. They were oddly attracted to the light of the flashlight (at the entrance of one of the tunnels) and also the chirps of their siblings already in the rescue box.
These rescue situations are never easy and are usually in areas where there is no water close by. So catching mom who can easily fly is nearly impossible. In this case because it was near the hwy, it was not safe to be at this location for too long for humans or wild animals.
All nine baby ducklings were safely rescued and transported by one of our wonderful volunteers, Brad, to us, . These babies will eventually be transported to
Overall, a successful rescue.”

06/13/2026

Every animal that arrives at Native Animal Rescue has a story to tell.

A crow wrapped around a tree with fishing line. A young owl displaced when a tree falls. A harmless snake caught in bird netting.

These patients remind us that wildlife and the environment are deeply connected. When ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives. When habitats are altered, food sources disappear, or hazards increase, animals often end up in rehabilitation.

Every day, we work to give injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance, but protecting wildlife begins long before an animal arrives at our doors.

Consider one small action you can take:

Check trees for nests prior to trimming or cutting

Reduce waste and litter, especially on our beaches

Use alternatives to netting for plants such as tulle or hardware cloth

Consider decals for windows that have had previous bird strikes

Together, small actions can make a big difference for the wild neighbors who share our community.

06/13/2026

06/08/2026

WE WON!
Thanks to your votes, Native Animal Rescue WON in the New Leaf Community Markets envirotoken election. We WON in both the New Leaf store on River Street and the Westside store. We now have a box in both these stores where you can place your tokens for using your reusable grocery bags.
THANK YOU!

06/04/2026

Great news from Siskiyou County where the almost-completed wildlife overcrossing is already being used.

“Three mule deer just became the first animals confirmed to have traversed a wildlife crossing in California, Caltrans announced. A trail camera captured the milestone on a new $20 million wildlife bridge in Siskiyou County, pictured above, in late May. The structure crosses Route 97, which laces through remote mountainous terrain. The highway is among the deadliest for wildlife in Northern California, killing more than 50 elk and deer in the five years ending in 2020.” ~ Mike McPhate of The California Sun

A major milestone for wildlife in California! 📷🦌

These deer are the first ever to successfully cross a roadway in the state of California using a newly constructed wildlife overcrossing, located on U.S. 97 in Siskiyou County, just 15 hours after crews wrapped up work for the day.

While the contractor is still completing final touches, it’s incredible to see wildlife already embracing the new structure, even with workers still in the area. In addition to deer, a bobcat and other wildlife have also been spotted using it.

This wildlife overcrossing was designed to provide animals with a safer way to cross the highway while helping reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions for motorists traveling through the corridor.

Seeing animals use the structure this quickly is an exciting sign of the positive impact this project will have for both wildlife connectivity and public safety for years to come

📸: Road Ecology Center

05/30/2026

Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing crisis affecting seabirds along the California coast.

What began in Southern California, from San Diego to Los Angeles, is now impacting birds here in Santa Cruz. Large numbers of Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, and Murres are arriving weak, emaciated, and starving - often entangled in fishing line.

Many people understandably fear these birds may be suffering from avian influenza due to last winter's bird flu outbreak. However, recent necropsies are showing no signs of bird flu. Instead, the birds are dying from starvation.

Scientists believe a massive marine heatwave is shifting the location of the fish seabirds rely on, making it increasingly difficult for them to find food. Desperate and weakened birds are beginning to target fish caught on fishing lines, leading to a secondary dangerous problem: entanglement and hook injuries.

Brown Pelicans, Cormorants and Common Murres are among the hardest hit during the current starvation event. Scientists also observed extremely poor nesting success this season at Santa Barbara Island and Anacapa Island — two major Brown Pelican nesting colonies in the Channel Islands.

As this crisis unfolds, we are also receiving many reports of dead birds washing ashore. Dead seabirds can be reported to California Fish & Wildlife (reporting link in comments).

How you can help:
• Please pick up and properly dispose of discarded fishing line and tackle when visiting the beach or pier.
• If you see a seabird that appears lethargic, weak, or tangled in fishing line, contact Native Animal Rescue immediately.
• If you encounter a fisher with a bird on the line, ask them to bring the bird in slowly using a net and DO NOT cut the line before rescuers arrive. Birds that fly away trailing line can become tangled in trees, kelp, or pier structures, making rescue far more difficult.

Thank you for helping protect our coastal wildlife.

05/28/2026

Reminder! Voting is still open online until June 2 for New Leaf Community Market's Envirotokens program and Native Animal Rescue would be incredibly grateful for your vote every day!

The six top voted organizations at each store location become Envirotokens recipients, meaning every vote counts. You can vote online every day in every local store location, and this will help us have a box in every store. (link for voting is in the comments) Please vote for NAR to help support the rescue and rehabilitation of local wildlife.

This year alone, NAR has cared for hundreds of wild animals including seabirds affected by the ongoing starvation crisis, orphaned birds and mammals, injured raptors, songbirds, opossums, squirrels, and more. Community support helps make this work possible.

See voting link in comments. Thank you!

05/22/2026

Few birds capture people quite like the striking Pileated Woodpecker. With their flaming red crest, loud echoing calls, and nearly crow-sized bodies, these elusive forest birds are often heard long before they are ever seen.

On May 7th, this orphaned juvenile Pileated Woodpecker was found by a member of the public in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park with evidence of physical trauma and brought to NAR for care. In this video, one of our wildlife care team members feeds the young woodpecker mealworms using hemostats - an important step in providing the specialized care this species requires.

Pileated Woodpeckers are uncommon patients at NAR. In fact, we have admitted only 3 in the last 10 years. The woodpecker species we most commonly admit is the Acorn Woodpecker, one of 7 woodpecker species that call Santa Cruz County home. Other woodpecker species that reside here are the Downy, Hairy, Nuttall's Woodpeckers as well as the Northern Flicker and the Red-breasted Sapsucker.

Every patient who comes through our doors depends on community support. Thank you for helping us continue giving wild animals a second chance.

05/17/2026

One of the easiest ways to help NAR right now is by voting online for us on New Leaf Community Market's Envirotoken ballot. Envirotokens are a significant source of donations for NAR and directly support the wildlife patients in our care.

You can vote once per day, per email address—so every vote counts, and repeat votes help even more!
Every patient who comes through our doors depends on community support. Specialized diets, medical care, housing, and rehabilitation supplies all add up quickly - and your tokens help make this lifesaving work possible.

Thank you for helping us continue giving wild animals a second chance.

https://www.newleaf.com/community/envirotokens-vote

05/06/2026

Please keep voting every day until June 2nd.